Opinion: Big Tech backlash means get ready for less free stuff

Facebook Inc delivers 100 billion messages a day on its WhatsApp messaging app, which it basically offers at no cost. The servers required to enable such a massive amount of communication are not cheap, but it’s worth it for Facebook to absorb the expense so it can keep users on its platform and within its ecosystem. — AFP

Governments around the world are taking major steps to clamp down on the anticompetitive practices of large technology companies. But the quest to rein in the power of these giants may have an unfortunate side effect for consumers: less free stuff.

One of the common themes among global antitrust regulators is that Big Tech has been able to use its vast financial resources and platforms to stifle smaller competitors. Last month’s US House antitrust report contended that big American technology companies such as Apple Inc and Google parent Alphabet Inc have abused their market power to hurt upstarts and extend their dominance into different markets.